Washing-machine.



H. N'OICE.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0cn12n1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

I EN TOR flan lYo/ce A TTOR/VEY was PETERS m. micro-1.1mm. WASHING mu, 0, c.

H. NOICE.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 21. 1915.

1,227,065. Patented May 22,1917.

wllgqlgglllllllli INVE/V r09 Han Ho/ae ATTORNEY HARRY NOICE, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

WASHING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern: V I Be it known that I, HARRY Notes, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and Stategof Oregon, have invented certain new'and usefulImprovements 1n Washing- Machines, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates toimprovements in washing machines of that character in which a container is provided for the clothes and the wash water and in which container is provided suitable rubbing mechanism for action against the clothes. I

Oneof the novel featuresof my invention consists in providing a plurality of rubbing barsnear the bottom of the container and. preferably in supporting relation with l6 spect to theclothessoas to hold the latter abovethe bottom of the container.

Afurther novel feature: consists in supporting bars which are so shaped that they may be rocked or oscillated to impart rub-,-

bing action against the clothes thereby, the barsbeingequally spaced. and of such novel cross section that the spaces between the same will be substantially uniform in all positions which the bars fmay occupy, a novel feature consisting in bars-shaped to provide water spaces below the points of nearest proximity of said bars withrespect to each other, irrespective of the position whichsaid bars may occupy during their operation.

A further object consists in providing s of arrows 8 of Fig.- 1.

bars with water passage ports or openings for passage of the wash water therethrough against the clothes supported thereby so as eiiectively to subject the clothesto the action not onlyof friction but also of rapidly flowing water. In connection with this feature of the invention the: barsact, because of their novel formation, to force the Water through said passage openings when the bars are oscillated to and fro to impart rubbing action to the clothes. p

Myinvention also includes a novel form of rubbing *or washing surface which is preferably incorporated in a false top for the container, the false top being loosely deposited in the container and adapted to descend by gravity upon the clothes supported by said rubbing bars. a A

A further novel featureofmy invention relates to an improvedform of reciprocating mechanical movement for imparting oscillatory movement to the rubbing bars and Specification of Letters Patent.

Fig. 3,

Patented Mayan 1917.

Application filed October 21, 1915. Serial N6. 57,091.

also for imparting rotary movement to a balancing means which may be in the form of a fly wheel.

My invention also includes a novel attachment whereby the containermay be supported in a tiltingv position, with respect to its pos tion, for thepurpose of draining oil the wash water contents thereof when desired. Further objects and features of'the invention will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be more particularly pointed out in and by the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure l is a view in side elevation of one form of my improved Washing machine with a portion of the side wall broken away.

Fig. 2 is a view lookingin the direction of arrow 22 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 33. of

Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview of my improved false lid illustratinga portion thereof with the rubbing surface'facing downwardly.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View on line 55 of showing the rubbing bars in end elevation and tilted in one direction.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view. on line 6-6 of Fig. 3, showing the rubbing bars in section and tilted in another direction.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view on line 7 7 of F ig.- 2. I

Fig. 8 is a detail view looking in direction Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line9-9 of Fig.

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout the different figures of the drawings. 3

As illustrated, 1 designates a container for the wash water and the. clothes to be washed,

the same having a bottom 2 and a false side wall 3. The false sidewall 3 divides the container into the main receiving portion for'the clothes, and also into a separate compartment 4 for housing novel operating means which Wlll be hereinafter described.

The partition 3 is disposed parallel with the opposite side wall 4.

Near the bottom of the housing and in'the washing compartment thereof I dispose a plurality of rubbing bars and will designate the central or middle bar thereof as 5, the

bars extending laterally thereof on opposite sides being indicated at 6 and 7 Referring more particularly to Figs. 5 and 6, and to the bars indicated at 7, it will be seen that said bars have a maximum cross section at points indicated at S and that their lateral sides 9 are convex. The convex sides converge to a linear bottom edge 10, as clearly shown. The bars 5, 6 and 7 are mounted for oscillatory movement and at one end of each of said bars the same are provided with journal stems 11, 12 and 13 which may be suitably journaled in the side wall 4. At their opposite ends said bars are provided with journal spindles 13, 14 and 15, all of which are alike, and all of which are journaled in partition The said spindles are of polygonal formation, as indicated at 15, in Fig. 3, and to each of said spindles is fixed a rocking bar, as indicated at 17, the next to the last spindle having a rocking bar 18 of greater length than the bars 17. Said rocking bars 17 and 18 are connected by a rocking link 19, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2. A connecting rod 20 is connected at 21 with bar 18 at one end, and at its other end, at 22, with one member 23, of a mechanical movement. Said member 23, which may be termed the rack member, is provided with an elongated loop 24 having parallel top and lower sides and rounded end portions. Said loop 24 is provided with interiorly projecting rack teeth 25 for mesh engagement with a pinion 26. The pinion 26 is mounted upon a fly wheel shaft 27 which is journaled at 28, and on which a fly wheel 29 is secured. A collar 30 prevents outward movement of the shaft 27, and wheel 26 prevents inward movement thereof. It will be seen from the foregoing that the loop or rack member 23, while being the actuating member, is guided by the actuated member, namely the pinion 26. For this purpose, the pinion 26 is provided with the hub 31 on which opposite sides of a guiding rail 32 are, adapted to engage. The guiding rail 32 is formed integral with the rack member 23. As the rack member 23 is drawn to the right of Fig. 2, it will operate the pinion 26 to turn the fly wheel. 29 in a clockwise direction, and through the agency of the fly wheel, or in other words the momentum imparted thereby, the rack member 23 will be lifted by the pinion 26 so that the hub 31 will negotiate the end of dividing rail 32 and engage the underside thereof for return movement of the rack member 23 to the left of Fig. 2. The fly wheel 29 also provides for starting movement of the machine if the same should be stopped with the rack member 23 or rather its rounded ends, in engagement with the pinion 26. The wall 33 is provided with an opening in which the rack member 23 is seated and is concealed by cover plates 34.

'One of said cover plates is provided with a slot 35 for projection of the connection 22.

It will now be seen that reciprocating movement of the rack member 23 will impart oscillatory movement to the rubbing bars through the link mechanism described. Rack member 23 is provided with a. bar 34 which extends through an opening 35 in the container and which is connected at 36 with an operating lever 37. Lever 37 is pivoted at 38 to suitable brackets 39. A metallic treadle structure 40 is connected with the operating lever 37 and has an extension 41 to which a treadle arm 42 is pivoted, as at 43. Treadle arm 42 is provided with a retainer 44 which is adapted to extend about the extension 41 so as to limit downward movement of treadle ar1n42 beyond the position shown in Fig. 1 but to also permit of folding adjustment of the treadle arm 42 into the position shown in Fig. 2. The treadle arm 42 is provided with a footrest 45 so that the operator, in addition to grasping the lever 37, may thrust his feet against the footrest 45 so as to obtain an increased motive thrust in operating the rubbing bars.

The container 1 is provided with a drain spout 46 for draining off the wash water, a plug 47 being hung by a loop 48 so as to be accessible in plugging the drain opening. A false supporting leg 49, preferably of a length slightly in excess of the length of any one of the supporting legs 50, is hinged at 51 to the bottom of the container. A strip spring 52 normally holds the false leg 49 in the inoperative position shown in Fig. 1, but permits of the leg being thrust downwardly into a supporting position. This strip spring 52 is fixed to the upper end of leg 49 and is bent to form a hump 53. A spring 54, having one end fixed to the bottom of the container, engages spring 52, with its free end, to hold the leg 49 in an inoperative position, and likewise when thr leg 49 is in a. vertical position. The weight of the container, when supported by leg 49, is taken by bearings 55, in which leg 49 is pivoted. Chains 56 prevent leg 49 from wabbling laterally. A handle 53 is secured to the supporting leg 49 in such a manner that when the handle is grasped by the operator and a pull is exerted thereon, the false leg 49 will not only be swung into a supporting position but the operator can, by lifting upwardly on the handle 53', lift the right hand end of the washing machine sutliciently to support the same on the false leg 49. This will, in one operation, tilt the machine so that the wash water will freely run out of the drain opening 46. Two of the 50 are provided with rollers 50 so that when the opposite end of the machine is lifted the rollers 50 will bear on the floor surface and facilitate movement of the machine from place to place.

The container 1 is provided with a top outlets 63, at the tops of closure 55', and secured toclosure 55, and

center of 56 thanat thesides. -The fixed bars taper from their points of attachment into double edged rubbing portions 58, of inverted V-shaped cross section. I-Iandles 59'are attached to'the top 55 so that the latter can be initially forced downwardly upon the clothes. Cleats 2 prevent the top structure from rising under pressure of the clothes. Brackets 3 connect 55 with 56 and permit of the top being set upright on one of the top edge walls of the container with the brackets 3 in engagement with such edge. I 1 7 Reference will again be made to the rubbing bars, as regards features'of their con-1 struction and of their novel operation when acting upon the clothes.

Because of the convex and converging sides 9, the clearance between the rubbing bars will be practically the same in any posi tion, as will be seen by comparing Figs. 1, 5 and 6. However, these convex and converging sides also perform another function, namely, that of providing water spaces 60, when in a vertical or upright position, which water spaces are gradually reduced as the rubbing bars assume the position shown in Fig. 5. As a result of this reduction in area of these water spaces, the water therein will be forced upwardly between the bars and against and through the clothes supported thereby. Ialso provide the rubbing bars with water passages 61 which extend transversely through said bars, each bar preferably having two such passages, intersecting at 62 to provide a common entrance, and diverging from each other and terminating in said bars. Therewill not only rush upwardly between, but also through the bars, as the latter are oscillated.

The upper portions of the rubbing bars are reduced in cross section to form elongated ribs 64 which extend longitudinally of said bars. The ribs 6 L, together with the relatively sharp upwardly projecting margins 65, not only serve to rub but also to displace and compress the clothes supported thereby. I have also shown the ribsof bars fore the water 6, inclined slightly away from the central bar 5, the ribs of bars 7 being inclinedin a directionopposite to the direction of inclination of the ribs 64:. Now by reason of the fact that" the rubbing bars are pivotednear their lower linear edges, the oscillatory swing of said bars will be far greater than would the clothes, a

be the case if they were axially pivoted, and the difference in the inclination of the rubbing ribs is such that a differential rubbing action will take place which will be conit'antly changing as the bars oscillate to and It is "believed that the advantages and utility of my invention will be fully understood from the foregoing description and while I have herein shown and described one specific form of my invention, I do not wish to belimited thereto except forsuch limitations as the claims may import.

I claim I 1. In a washing machine,-a container for plurality of rubbing bars pivotally mounted'to support the clothes above the bottom of said container, the lower portions of said bars having faces converging to a lower linear edge and the pivotal mounting of said bars being adjacent the linear edges of said bars, the upper portions of saidbars being reduced incross section with respect to the lower portions and having longitudinally disposed upwardly projecting rubbing ribs, the ribof the central bar being upright and the ribs of the adj acent bars laterally of the central bar being inclined away from the central bar, substantially as described.

2. In a washing machine, a container for the clothes, a plurality of rubbing bars pivotally mounted tosupport the clothes above the bottom of said container, the lower portions of said bars having faces converging to a lower linear edge and the pivotal mounting of said bars being adjacent the linear edges of said bars, the upper portions of said bars being reduced in cross section with respect to the lower portions and having longitudinally disposed upwardly projecting rubbing ribs, substantially as described.

3. In a washing machine, a container for the clothes, a plurality of rubbing bars pivotally mounted to support the clothes above the bottom of the container, said bars having sides converging toa bottom linear edge, the pivots of said bars being disposed below the centers thereof, the converging sides of said bars and the disposition of the pivots thereof maintaining the intervening spaces substantially uniform irrespective of the position of said bars, substantially as described.

4. In a washing machine, plurality of rubbing bars pivotally mounted therein and having conveX sides with the sides of adjacent bars diverging from each a container, a

points of nearest said bars will reduce said spaces and force the wash water upwardly between said bars, substantially as described.

5. In a washing machine, a container for the clothes, and a plurality of rocking rubbing bars having lower portions provided with converging sides, means pivoting said bars below their upper portions for rocking movement in said container to form intervening water spaces between said bars when the latter are in upright positions whereby said spaces will be reduced in area when said bars are rocked into tilted positions, substantially as described.

6. In a washing machine, a container for the clothes, and a plurality of rocking rubbing bars having converging sides and pivoted below their points of nearest proximity with respect to each other thereby providing water spaces between said bars, said bars having Water passages extending there- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents through for passage of the water upwardly through and between said bars as the latter are rocked to reduce the area of said water spaces, substantially as described.

7. In a washing machine, a container provided with an active lower clothes rubbing mechanism, and a false top for said container free for downward movement therein, the bottom of said false top having a fixed rubbing surface for engagement with the clothes, said rubbing surface comprising a plurality of parallel fixed rubbing bars of different, relatively graduated depths, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY NOICE.

Witnesses S. ORMSBY, E. C. MILLER.

each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, .D. G. 

